


Consolation Prize

by Amorfati32



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-16 01:42:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16075712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amorfati32/pseuds/Amorfati32
Summary: Based on the Tumblr prompt: present day/post s11, M/S blissfully happy & in love. Diana shows up, assumes (stupidly) she was #1 choice & Scully the consolation prize.





	Consolation Prize

It feels like it’s the first real rest Mulder has had in weeks, if not longer. He’s stretched out on the sofa, his eyes closed, the TV droning on quietly in the background, and he can feel himself edging towards slumber. He’s not entirely sure when he last had a good night’s sleep; life with a newborn is tougher than he remembers, though of course he barely experienced it first time round with William. He has no idea how Scully coped on her own with a baby. Their daughter is ten days old now. She’s beautiful, of course she is; she’s inherited her mom’s genes thankfully. But little Hannah has unfortunately inherited her dad’s inability to sleep at night. “She’s too curious,” he often tells an exhausted Scully in the middle of the night as their trying to soothe their fussing daughter. “She wants to know what’s going on around her, just like her mom.” Scully often rolls her tired eyes. “She’s stubborn,” she replies matter-of-factly. “Just like her dad.”

Scully too is finding life with a newborn tougher this time round, despite the extra pair of hands. They’re a lot older now, their bodies are protesting. Or at least Mulder’s certainly is. This afternoon however, this afternoon Mulder finally has chance to relax. Miraculously both Scully and Hannah are fast asleep upstairs. The baby monitor sits on the coffee table next to Mulder, and he can hear the sounds of his wife and daughter sleeping peacefully. Mulder had originally intended to join them, until he realized the house was in a state of chaos. It’s not that Scully is particularly house proud at the moment; on the contrary, she’s too tired to even care, but he’s seen the mournful looks she’s been giving the ever-increasing pile of laundry and the layers of dust congregating over the cupboards. So he decides to do something about it. It’s only fair after all, Scully has done all the hard work in giving birth and feeding Hannah at all times of the day and night. Housework is the least he can do. Two loads of washing and a light dusting later, not to mention Mulder having done the dishes and the house looks almost like it did pre-Hannah, other than impossibly tiny sleepsuits piled up on the edge of the sofa and a Moses basket sitting empty in the corner of the room, so Mulder decides to reward himself with a few minutes in front of the TV. At least that was the intention. He’s barely moments from drifting off when he hears the sound of a vehicle approaching the house. Old habits die hard, and Mulder’s senses are immediately on alert. He suspects it may be Skinner, perhaps to ask his opinion on a case, but he hopes not. Skinner knows where Mulder stands on that now, ever since that fateful night on the dock with William…when Scully told him she was pregnant, that was when he said enough was enough, when they both did, and left the Bureau for good. He supposes it might be a social call, as Skinner is particularly charmed by their latest addition. It could also be one of Scully’s colleagues at the hospital popping round to meet the baby, but they’ve been tending to call first; or Mulder supposes it might even be Charlie paying a polite visit to his sister. Charlie, who lives now out on the east coast, and doesn’t tend to call.

As the car pulls up outside the house, Mulder reluctantly gets up off of the sofa and makes his way towards the front door, determined to get there before their visitor rings the bell and wakes up Scully and Hannah. They both need their rest. He pauses, glancing out of the window as another thought springs to mind. What if it’s William? Their son is alive, they know that now; Scully experienced visions of their son while she was pregnant, then William contacted his mom at odd times to ask her a series of questions ranging from the mundane about laundry, to questions about when he was a baby. He’s been quiet in recent weeks but Mulder suspects that’s more to do with feeling awkward about his sister’s arrival than anything else. Now though, now Mulder wonders whether their son might finally be coming home. But as he catches sight of his visitor getting out of the car, Mulder realizes he couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, he’s almost convinced he’s dreaming as he sets eyes on a person he hasn’t seen in years. A blast from the past, and not a particularly welcome one. He’s not sure why she’s back, why she’s here now, but then he realizes that the sooner he finds out, the sooner he can send her on her way, put her out of his mind and get back to his little family.

Striding to the front door, Mulder takes a deep breath and throws it open, coming face-to-face with his ex-wife.

“Diana.”

Diana Fowley stands before him, smiling fondly as though no time has passed, as though she wasn’t working with his enemies, driving a wedge between him and Scully. Mulder knows he should be thankful for her in a way. She did help Scully rescue him from the Department of Defense and she put her life on the line doing so; that’s why she disappeared. Mulder had presumed she was dead – there hadn’t been any sightings of her over the years, but she seems pretty alive and well now. Other than a few fine lines and a slightly lighter hair color concealing a few grey hairs, it’s almost as though no time at all has passed. Almost.

“What are you doing here?” Mulder asks, still stunned to see her standing in front of him. He’s glad Scully is fast asleep. She was never exactly Diana’s number one fan at the best of times, and he’s pretty sure she wouldn’t welcome Diana into their home with open arms. “How did you find me?” Diana gives him a knowing look. Of course she’s been tracking him, he thinks. “What do you want?”

“I’ve been wanting to contact you for a while now Fox,” she tells him, and he tries not to grimace. It not the name Fox that evokes the reaction – Scully calls him that from time-to-time and he’s fine with that, more than fine at times if he’s completely honest – but it’s the way Diana says it, as though they’re still married, as though she’s still in love with him. “Ever since I found out it was safe to come back.” Since Spender died, Mulder’s mind supplies. With the people gunning for her blood now dead, Diana is a free woman.

“Couldn’t you have just sent a Christmas card?” he jokes, but Diana doesn’t react. She’s clearly not here for his sense of humor.

“I was sorry to hear about you and Scully.” Mulder hesitates, her words taking him by surprise, not least because she’s clearly misinformed. He wants to put her straight, but something stops him, and instead he waits for Diana to continue. “Marriage is hard, we both know that,” she adds with a chuckle, but Mulder remains straight-faced.

“How did you find out about that?”

“News travels Fox. You should know that by now.”

*Not quite fast enough* he wants to say, but doesn’t. “So you came to pay your condolences?”

“I came to see you. I missed you Fox.”

Mulder huffs out a bitter laugh. “You missed me? After all these years, after walking out on me more than 25 years ago and working with people who wanted me dead, you missed me? Pull the other one Diana,” he sneers, moving to close the door, but Diana anticipates his reaction and steps forward.

“Maybe I’ve had time to think about my life and the decisions I’ve made, the regrets I have. Maybe I want to atone for my sins, to say sorry to the people I’ve hurt along the way, to the people I love.”

Now he’s even more certain he’s dreaming. “Diana…”

“Hear me out Fox.”

“You’re sorely mistaken.”

“We were good together.”

“We were better apart.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“And you can’t honestly believe that we should get back together.” Diana’s expression suggests otherwise. “It was a relationship built on lies.”

“I loved you Fox.”

“Loved.”

“Love.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I know you’re upset and I hurt you –”

“You were working against me.”

“I saved your life.”

“You were sleeping with the men who wanted me dead.” Diana stays silent. “What gives you the right to track me down and turn up at my house spouting out this crap? Someone’s put you up to this.”

“No, they haven’t.”

“Give me one good reason why I should trust you.”

“Because I’m telling the truth. Look,” she sighs, as though frustrated she’s even having to explain herself. “When I heard Spender was dead I needed time to make sure it wasn’t a trap. It took a few months for me to get myself together and come home, but I’ve been thinking about you this whole time. I made a big mistake Fox, I know that but I’m sorry, I really am. I’m older now and I’m wiser and I know what I want. And when I heard that you and Scully had separated, I hoped you could find it in your heart to forgive –”

But Diana’s words are interrupted by a shrill cry sounding out over the baby monitor. She stops, her eyes narrowing in confusion as she tries to work out both what the noise is and where it’s coming from. And then suddenly it hits her.

“You did make a big mistake Diana,” Mulder says. “You made a mistake coming here and you made a mistake in thinking that Scully and I were over.”

As if hearing her name mentioned downstairs, Scully’s sleepy voice comes over the baby monitor as she attempts to soothe her unhappy daughter. Diana’s eyes widen and her smile quickly fades. She peers into the house towards the living room, then looks back at Mulder. “You…you…?”

“We’re together,” Mulder says firmly. “You must have been misinformed.” She doesn’t need to know the ins and outs of their relationship, that they were separated but found their way back to one another. As he sees the disappointment cross Diana’s features, Mulder can’t help but feel a little sorry for his ex-wife, having realized she was serious about a reconciliation. Maybe in another lifetime.

“Oh,” she says, clearly embarrassed. “I am…I’m sorry I –”

“I’m sorry Diana,” he explains. “I’m with Scully and we have…we have a daughter. It’s always been Scully.”

Diana nods, stepping backwards. “I shouldn’t have come,” she says, her voice shaky. “I’m sorry for troubling you. I’m sorry for –”

“It’s okay baby,” comes Scully’s voice as she descends the stairs carrying her crying daughter. “Let’s get you sorted and we’ll go see Daddy.” Mulder instantly panics, fearing what will happen when she lays eyes on Diana, but it seems his ex-wife is on his wavelength.

“I should go,” she says quietly, then shoots Mulder a sad smile. “Take care Fox.”

“You too Diana.” He means it too. Before he can say anything else, Diana has turned on her heel and is hurrying towards her car. Mulder closes the door just as Scully reaches the bottom of the stairs, Hannah’s cheeks flushed red as she cries, the noise sounding out Diana’s car as she drives away. He moves across the room towards them, wondering if he can help. “You okay?” he asks.

“Was there someone at the door?”

Taking the baby from her, Mulder presses a kiss to his wife’s cheek. “No,” he lies, wanting to put Diana out of his mind. “It was just the TV.”

Scully looks as though she’s about to question him, but seems to decide against it. “Is everything okay?”

He smiles as Hannah’s cries soften. Right now he has everything he needs. “Everything’s fine.”


End file.
